The Human Side of AI: Why Physician Leadership Matters More Than Ever

by Marcus W. Dickson, Ph.D.

Partner – Center for Physician Leadership Excellence

AI is transforming healthcare faster than most of us imagined. But it’s also changing what effective leadership looks like. Here’s what we’ve learned from working directly with physician leaders navigating this shift:

The Human Side of AI: Why Physician Leadership Matters More Than Ever

Artificial intelligence is no longer “the future of healthcare” —it’s actively transforming how care gets delivered right now. From AI-driven diagnostic imaging to detect cancers earlier than ever to virtual health assistants, to predictive analytics for risk stratification, to operational forecasting and resource allocation, AI is reshaping the clinical landscape.

But in any transformation, there are unanticipated consequences – side effects, if you will. In the case of AI’s clinical applications, that side effect is that AI is fundamentally changing what it means to lead in healthcare, and the most profound shifts may be less about using AI tools directly and more about how to lead people in an AI-driven environment.

The New Leadership Reality

Our experience working with physician leaders in the last few years is that there are several areas in which AI is changing the ways physician leaders lead, and the areas in which they lead. Across all these situations, a paradox emerges: as technology gets smarter, human leadership becomes more essential.

1. Leading Through Uncertainty: AI Increases the Volume of Data, But Not Necessarily the Clarity of Decisions

AI in all its forms and presentations gives us more predictions and plenty of dashboards, but not always clear answers. Many physician leaders say that they feel less certain about decisions today, with the increasing volume of data from ever-more perspectives. (One clear example comes from sepsis risk prediction models such as the Epic Sepsis Model that have faced criticism for alert fatigue and lack of clinical clarity despite being data-driven.)

Physician leaders must hold ambiguity, make judgment calls, and project confidence and calm even when the AI output is imperfect or conflicting. These are not technical skills; they are emotional resilience and decisiveness under pressure.

2. Creating Belonging and Culture in a Digitally-Driven Environment

As AI automates tasks and digitizes interactions, people may feel isolated, devalued, or disconnected. Studies have shown that increased reliance on digital tools, including telehealth, contributes to higher rates of physician burnout; for example, a 2021 JAMA Network Open study found that 50% of physicians reported emotional exhaustion during the height of virtual care adoption. The reduction in in-person interactions can erode a sense of professional fulfillment and connection, making intentional leadership efforts to foster belonging more critical than ever.

Additionally, there are rising concerns about deepfakes or synthetic data, and increasing skepticism about what is “real” and what is fabricated. More than ever, physician leaders will need to take the lead in intentionally fostering connection, inclusion, and community. AI won’t replace hallway conversations or the psychological safety that comes from a strong team culture. Leaders need to nurture a culture of shared meaning, not just efficiency.

3. Coaching, Feedback, and Development in a Tech-Augmented World

AI tools may augment diagnosis, performance tracking, or productivity, and AI can even play a role in coaching, encouraging, and developing people. But all those leadership and employee development efforts, AI-driven or not, need to leave physicians with the sense that the organization and its leaders care about them as individuals and are vested in their growth.

For example, algorithmic bias in performance dashboards can undermine trust and morale—for instance, research has shown that patient satisfaction scores, often used in AI-driven performance evaluations, tend to be systematically lower for female and minority physicians, regardless of clinical quality (Figueroa et al., 2016, JAMA Internal Medicine). Without empathetic framing and context, such data can feel punitive rather than developmental, leading to disengagement rather than growth.

Leaders must give feedback in a way that is actionable, empathetic, and motivating. That’s especially true when AI data are involved, such as with performance dashboards, because poorly delivered data can demoralize rather than develop.

4. Being the Bridge Between Technical and Human Systems

We have heard the argument that “AI development teams think in terms of models, data, and outputs, while clinicians think in terms of patient stories, lived experience, and consequences.” The implication is that AI may be too data-oriented for physicians providing direct clinical care who feel their patients’ needs. We are skeptical of that assumption.

Data we’ve gathered from physicians and physician leaders in our leadership assessment and development work suggests that physicians tend to be well above the population average in their focus on data and models, and well below the population average in their focus on seeking meaningful interpersonal interactions.

Physician leaders more than ever must translate between Technical and Human Systems. They must effectively advocate for clinicians’ needs in conversations with vendors, and explain technical tools in ways that resonate with frontline staff, and with patients and their families. Physician leader communication, even for leaders in specific specialty areas like department chairs, now must be about communication across mindsets, not just across disciplines.

Given all the points shared above, all of which include a strong need for human interpersonal skills, the human-side of physician leadership is not only relevant; it’s mission-critical.

The Critical Role of Assessment, Development, and Coaching

This transformation makes one thing abundantly clear: clinical excellence doesn’t automatically translate to effective leadership in the AI era. The stakes are too high, and the required skills too specialized. Systematic assessment, targeted development, and ongoing coaching have moved from nice-to-have investments to essential requirements for healthcare organizations.

Physician leaders need structured opportunities to develop these emerging competencies. They need coaching support to navigate the complex interpersonal dynamics of technology-driven change. Most importantly, they need development programs that help them maintain their humanity while embracing technological advancement.

The emotional intelligence and human connection skills that become increasingly valuable in an automated world can’t be developed through self-study or osmosis. These capabilities require deliberate practice, feedback, and guidance from experienced coaches who understand both the technical landscape and the human dynamics at play.

Looking Forward

The physician leaders who will succeed in the coming decade are those who recognize that leading in the age of AI requires intentional development of both technical understanding and deeply human capabilities. Healthcare’s future depends not just on the sophistication of AI systems, but on the wisdom and emotional intelligence of the leaders who guide their implementation.

The question isn’t whether AI will transform healthcare—it already has. The question is whether healthcare organizations are developing leaders who can harness AI’s power while preserving what makes medicine fundamentally human.

💬 What human skills do you think will matter most for physician leaders in the next 5 years?

👇 Drop your thoughts into the comments!

#PhysicianLeadership #HealthcareAI #LeadershipDevelopment #FutureOfWork #EmotionalIntelligence

For further reading, see:

• AI in Clinical Decision-Making and Ambiguity
  • Rajkomar, A., Dean, J., & Kohane, I. (2019). Machine learning in medicine. New England Journal of Medicine, 380(14), 1347-1358.
  • Wong, A., Otles, E., Donnelly, J. P., et al. (2021). External validation of a widely implemented proprietary sepsis prediction model in hospitalized patients. JAMA Internal Medicine, 181(8), 1065–1070.
• Physician Burnout and Digital Work Environments
  • Shanafelt, T. D., et al. (2019). Relationship between clerical burden and characteristics of the electronic environment with physician burnout and professional satisfaction. Mayo Clinic Proceedings.
• AI and Feedback/Data Misinterpretation
  • London, A. J. (2019). Artificial intelligence and black-box medical decisions: Accuracy versus explainability. Hastings Center Report, 49(1), 15–21.
• Trust in AI and Human Oversight
  • Topol, E. (2019). Deep Medicine: How Artificial Intelligence Can Make Healthcare Human Again. Basic Books.
• Leadership Development in Healthcare
  • Frich, J. C., Brewster, A. L., Cherlin, E. J., & Bradley, E. H. (2015). Leadership development programs for physicians: A systematic review. Journal of General Internal Medicine, 30(5), 656–674.

Posted 7/16/2025

Noel Baril joins the Center for Physician Leadership Excellence (CPLE)

Noel Baril (LinkedIn Profile) has joined the Center for Physician Leadership Excellence as a Partner and Business Development Lead.

Noel is a highly experienced Human Resources executive and International Coaching Federation (ICF) Associate Certified Coach (ACC) and consultant. He specializes in physician leadership assessment, coaching and development. Along with his proven record of effectively coaching and developing current and future physician leaders to success, Noel brings many years of experience and demonstrated results in every HR discipline in both health care and industry/manufacturing.

Founded in 2016, CPLE addresses the need for healthcare organizations to identify and develop physicians into leadership roles. It is led by experts with healthcare industry and academic experience, including Kathy Oswald (LinkedIn Profile), Dr. Marcus Dickson (LinkedIn Profile), and now Noel. Together the CPLE team brings decades of coaching, consulting, assessment, development, and research experience to our partnerships with physician leaders.

Posted June 2025